man of property-第53节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
fe。 It was an event。 They would ask Timothy； they said。 But they never did； knowing in advance that it would upset him。 Surreptitiously； however； for weeks after they would look in that paper； which they took with respect on account of its really fashionable proclivities； to see whether 'Bright's Rubies' or 'The Woollen Mackintosh Company' were up or down。 Sometimes they could not find the name of the company at all； and they would wait until James or Roger or even Swithin came in； and ask them in voices trembling with curiosity how that 'Bolivia Lime and Speltrate was doingthey could not find it in the paper。
And Roger would answer： 〃What do you want to know for？ Some trash！ You'll go burning your fingersinvesting your money in lime； and things you know nothing about！ Who told you？〃 and ascertaining what they had been told； he would go away； and； making inquiries in the City； would perhaps invest some of his own money in the concern。
It was about the middle of dinner； just in fact as the saddle of mutton had been brought in by Smither； that Mrs。 MacAnder； looking airily round； said： 〃Oh！ and whom do you think I passed to…day in Richmond Park？ You'll never guessMrs。 Soames and Mr。 Bosinney。 They must have been down to look at the house！〃
Winifred Dartie coughed； and no one said a word。 It was the piece of evidence they had all unconsciously been waiting for。
To do Mrs。 MacAnder justice； she had been to Switzerland and the Italian lakes with a party of three； and had not heard of Soames' rupture with his architect。 She could not tell； therefore； the profound impression her words would make。
Upright and a little flushed； she moved her small； shrewd eyes from face to face； trying to gauge the effect of her words。 On either side of her a Hayman boy； his lean； taciturn； hungry face turned towards his plate； ate his mutton steadily。
These two； Giles and Jesse； were so alike and so inseparable that they were known as the Dromios。 They never talked； and seemed always completely occupied in doing nothing。 It was popularly supposed that they were cramming for an important examination。 They walked without hats for long hours in the Gardens attached to their house； books in their hands； a fox…terrier at their heels； never saying a word； and smoking all the time。 Every morning； about fifty yards apart； they trotted down Campden Hill on two lean hacks； with legs as long as their own； and every morning about an hour later； still fifty yards apart； they cantered up again。 Every evening； wherever they had dined； they might be observed about half…past ten； leaning over the balustrade of the Alhambra promenade。
They were never seen otherwise than together； in this way passing their lives； apparently perfectly content。
Inspired by some dumb stirring within them of the feelings of gentlemen； they turned at this painful moment to Mrs。 MacAnder； and said in precisely the same voice： 〃Have you seen the。。。？〃
Such was her surprise at being thus addressed that she put down her fork； and Smither； who was passing； promptly removed her plate。 Mrs。 MacAnder； however； with presence of mind； said instantly： 〃I must have a little more of that nice mutton。〃
But afterwards in the drawingroom she sat down by Mrs。 Small； determined to get to the bottom of the matter。 And she began：
〃What a charming woman； Mrs。 Soames； such a sympathetic temperament！ Soames is a really lucky man！〃
Her anxiety for information had not made sufficient allowance for that inner Forsyte skin which refuses to share its troubles with outsiders。
Mrs。 Septimus Small； drawing herself up with a creak and rustle of her whole person； said； shivering in her dignity：
〃My dear； it is a subject we do not talk about！〃
CHAPTER II
NIGHT IN THE PARK
Although with her infallible instinct Mrs。 Small had said the very thing to make her guest 'more intriguee than ever；' it is difficult to see how else she could truthfully have spoken。
It was not a subject which the Forsytes could talk about even among themselvesto use the word Soames had invented to characterize to himself the situation； it was 'subterranean。'
Yet； within a week of Mrs。 MacAnder's encounter in Richmond Park； to all of themsave Timothy； from whom it was carefully keptto James on his domestic beat from the Poultry to Park Lane； to George the wild one； on his daily adventure from the bow window at the Haversnake to the billiard room at the 'Red Pottle；' was it known that 'those two' had gone to extremes。
George （it was he who invented many of those striking expressions still current in fashionable circles） voiced the sentiment more accurately than any one when he said to his brother Eustace that 'the Buccaneer' was 'going it'； he expected Soames was about 'fed up。'
It was felt that he must be； and yet； what could be done？ He ought perhaps to take steps； but to take steps would be deplorable。
Without an open scandal which they could not see their way to recommending； it was difficult to see what steps could be taken。 In this impasse； the only thing was to say nothing to Soames； and nothing to each other； in fact； to pass it over。
By displaying towards Irene a dignified coldness； some impression might be made upon her； but she was seldom now to be seen； and there seemed a slight difficulty in seeking her out on purpose to show her coldness。 Sometimes in the privacy of his bedroom James would reveal to Emily the real suffering that his son's misfortune caused him。
〃I can't tell；〃 he would say； 〃it worries me out of my life。 There'll be a scandal； and that'll do him no good。 I shan't say anything to him。 There might be nothing in it。 What do you think？ She's very artistic； they tell me。 What？ Oh； you're a 'regular Juley！ Well； I don't know； I expect the worst。 This is what comes of having no children。 I knew how it would be from the first。 They never told me they didn't mean to have any childrennobody tells me anything！〃
On his knees by the side of the bed； his eyes open and fixed with worry； he would breathe into the counterpane。 Clad in his nightshirt； his neck poked forward； his back rounded； he resembled some long white bird。
〃Our Father…；〃 he repeated； turning over and over again the thought of this possible scandal。
Like old Jolyon； he； too； at the bottom of his heart set the blame of the tragedy down to family interference。 What business had that lothe began to think of the Stanhope Gate branch； including young Jolyon and his daughter； as 'that lot'to introduce a person like this Bosinney into the family？ （He had heard George's soubriquet； 'The Buccaneer；' but he could make nothing of thatthe young man was an architect。）
He began to feel that his brother Jolyon； to whom he had always looked up and on whose opinion he had relied； was not quite what he had expected。
Not having his eldest brother's force of character； he was more sad than angry。 His great comfort was to go to Winifred's； and take the little Darties in his carriage over to Kensington Gardens； and there； by the Round Pond； he could often be seen walking with his eyes fixed anxiously on little Publius Dartie's sailing…boat； which he had himself freighted with a penny； as though convinced that it would never again come to shore； while little Publiuswho； James delighted to say； was not a bit like his father skipping along under his lee； would try to get him to bet another that it never would； having found that it always did。 And James would make the bet； he always paidsometimes as many as three or four pennies in the afternoon； for the game seemed never to pall on little Publiusand always in paying he said： 〃Now； that's for your money…box。 Why； you're getting quite a rich man！〃 The thought of his little grandson's growing wealth was a real pleasure to him。 But little Publius knew a sweet…shop； and a trick worth two of that。
And they would walk home across the Park； James' figure； with high shoulders and absorbed and worried face； exercising its tall； lean protectorship； pathetically unregarded； over the robust child…figures of Imogen and little Publius。
But those Gardens and that Park were not sacred to James。 Forsytes and tramps； children and lovers； rested and wandered day after day； night after night； seeking one and all some freedom from labour； from the reek and turmoil of the streets。
The leaves browned slowly； lingering with the sun and summer…like warmth of the nights。
On Saturday； October 5； the sky that had been blue all day deepened after sunset to the bloom of purple grapes。 There was no moon； and a clear dark； like some velvety garment； was wrapped around the trees； whose thinned branches； resembling plumes； stirred not in the still； warm air。 All London had poured into the Park； draining the cup of summer to its dregs。
Couple after couple； from every gate； they streamed along the paths and over the burnt grass； and one after another； silently out of the lighted spaces； stole into the shelter of the feathery trees； where； blotted against some trunk； or under the shadow of shrubs； they were lost to all but themselves in the heart of the soft darkness。
To fresh…comers along the paths； these forerunners formed but part of that passi
